Vapor-cooling system for internal-combustion engines



June 14 27.

VAPOR COOLING L. P. BARLOW SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Jan. 20', 1927 IN VEN TOR.

4 4-221" Ban/Z0 w A TTORNE Y.

i I Patented June 14, 1927.

f theheat of the engine and supplying the cooling liquid to the cylinder jacket by UNITE D srArss PATENT o Flcr...

, LESTER r. BARLOW, or STAMFORD, convncrrcu'r.

VAPOR-COOLING svsrniu roe INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed January 20,1927. Serial inc; 162,358.

My invention relates to vapor cooling systems for internal combustion engines, I

' ,My invention has for its object-to provide in connection with the cylinder jacket and condenser of such a system of means for storing the cooling liquid out of the influence means also'out of the influence of the heat of the-engine. r.

A further Object of the invention is to provide acontinuous circulation of cooling liquid independent of the condenser and means for admitting a portion of the liquid so circulated to the cylinder jacket.

A further object of. the invention is to provide means for automatically regulating the proportion of the cirtiulatedliquid ad mitted to the cylinder jacket. 1

A further'object ofythe invention is to provide a distributingbox adapted to so distribute the cooling liquid supplied. to it that the {level of liquidin the cylinderacket will be constant at-Whatever speedthe engine may be driven; i

A further object of provide a distributing box adapted to pre 'vent' return of liquid from a'cylinder jacket When the engine is n'otrunning. I

'With the above indicated objects and other objects hereinafter explained in view my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and'claimed. I Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of the lnternal combustion engine of'an automobile having the cooling apparatus of my presentinvention applied thereto. 1

Figure 2 is a' central, vertical, longitudinal sectional view showing the connection box of my present invention in its preferred form, and v Figure '3 is a similar view of form of the connection box.

' In the drawings 1 indicates the engine cylinder blockof usual constructionha-ving a 'Water jacket surrounding the engine cyl inders. 2 indicates a steam or vapor dome or vapor chamber above and in communica tion With the Water jacket and preferably extending upward a considerable distance above the cylinder heads. 3 indicates a vertically arranged condenser in communication. at its upper end by pipe a with the a modified top of the vapor dome the invention is to 3. 5 indicates the usualfan driven by belt 6 fromthe engine shaft 7, arranged Within the crank case 8. 9 indicates a make up reservoir or tank in communication by inlet pipe 10 with the lower end ofthe condenser 3 so as to receive the condensed vapors drainingfrom the condenser. This reservoir ortank is so located as to be outof the influence of heat either radiated or conduct-och from the engine and .is preferably arranged as shown below-the level of the engine and to one side of the crank: case. As" shown this reservoir will be heated onlyby the heat carried into it by the condensed vapors from the condenser 3.

The make up reservoir is connected by pipe-11 with the intake of pump 12, pref- .erably shown, a reciprocating plunger pump operated by eccentric 13 on shaft 14 driven many usual manner. from'the engine shaft 7 The discharge of the pump-is connecte'd'by pipe 15 to'opening 16 of distributing box 17. This distributing box is adapted f tobe made. and sold as a separate article. It is provided With flanges 1'8 for securlng its-to the Wall19 of the engine cylinder jacket I and has an opening 20 leading to opening I :21 inathe Wall of the j acket. The opening 16 forthe pipe 15 and the opening 20 are preferably opposite and. in line so thatcook ing liquid forced into the connection box through opening 16 Will tend to pass through opening 20 into the Water jacket. At any convenient'point, preferably above the level of the openings 16 and 20, thevconnection box is provided with a partition having an opening 22 leading preferably throughza chamber 23 to return pipe 24 through outlet opening 25. arranging outlet 25 above the level ofopenings 16 and '20 the liquid forced in through opening 16 Will tend to flow through opening 20 rather than through opening 25. uThe opening 22 is a restricted opening, that'is, is of less area thanrthe cross sectional area of the interior of the return pipe 24 and is preferably of less area i 1 than the openings 16 and 20. In the constructionshown in Figure 2, Which is the preferred construction, the restricted opening 22 is formedc in a disc 26 which is held by alight. spring 27 normally against a it of much larger area than opening 22. The disc 26 is guided "by rod 30 in tube 31 car ried loy plug 3.2

valve seat 28, having an opening 29 through In the use of this preferred construction where the pressure from the pump through pipe 15 and the back pressure of the higher water level in the jacket becomes such that the liquid cannotbe taken care of by the opening 20, leading to the water jacket, and by the restricted opening 22, leading to the return pipe, the disc 26 will be lifted against the resistance of spring 27 permitting the excess of liquid to pass to the return pipe 2 1. The opening 20 leading to the water jacket is provided with a check valve to prevent back flow from the water jacket when the speed of the motor is reduced.

hile the spring pressed disc 26 and the check valve 33 are desirable, they may be dispensed with as shown in Figure 3, in which the restricted opening 22 is in a fixed partition.

The condenser 3 is preferably provided with a vent El i opening to the atmosphere and the tank or reservoir 9 is'also preferably provided with a vent or escape valve 35.

In the operation of my invention'the heat of the engine cylinders vaporizes the cooling liquid of the water jacket, the vapor collectingin the vapor space or dome 2 and passes by pipe l to the upper end of the condenser Elwhich is shown as placed as usual at the front of the automobile, is cooled by the atmospheric currents, and is further cooled by the action of the fan 5. The condensed cooling liquid, which may be Water or a mixture of water and alcohol or other mixture of low freezing point, flows by gravity through pipe 10 to this make up reservoir 9 which serves as a sump to collect the condensates and also serves as a supply or make up reservoir from which to draw the liquid necessary to maintain the liquid in the engine jacket at a substantially constant level. The vent 3 of the condenser is open to the atmosphere so that the pressure in the condenser cannot become materially higher than atmospheric.

The make up reservoir 9 is here shown as located below the level of the engine cylinder so as that the condensates from condenser 3 will flow into it by gravity and is also so located so that it will be out of the influence of heat from the engine and will remain cool at all times except for the heat carried by the condensates flowing. into it from condenser 23. The particular location of the make up reservoir is not essential so long as it is so located to be afi'eeted as little as i ible by heat from the engine, either radiated or conducted.

From the reservoir the cooling liquid is drawn by pump 12 and forced through pipe 15 to the inlet 16 of the distributing box through which more or less of it passes through opening 20 into the water jacket to take the place of the liquid driven off as vapor. The pipe 15 is outside the engine frame and is spaced away from it so that it is practically uuinfluenccd by the heat of the engine. The cooling ]iquid thus reacl the. connection box and forced into the engine jacket at the temperature at which the liq aid in the tank or reservoir is maintained which is relatively low. In a run of over 200 miles with the atmospheric ten'iperaturc at '35" F. the temperature of the mixture. of water and alcohol in the reservoir taken immediately upon the conclusion of the run was F.

The pump 12 is arranged to he constantly driven from the engine shaft, its speed and consequently the return of liquid discharged through pipe 15, depending upon the speed at which the engine shaft is driven. When the engine is driven at low speed, as when idling, all or a considerable proportion of the liquid forced through pipe 15 by the pump will pass through opening 20 into the jacket. When the engine is running at high speed a considerable portion of the large volume of liquid supplied by the pump will pass through the opening 22, or if the disc 30 is raised from its seat against the force of spring 31, through opening 29 into the return pipe 24. The return pipe 2 1; and the opening leading to it thus acts as a hypass. The opening 22 being at a higher level than the openings 16 and 20 as shown and the opening 22 being of less area than the opening 20 into the jacket, the liquid will not flow into the by-pass so long as its passage into the jacket is not checked by back pressure.

lVhile the apparatus of my invention is shown in connection with the engine of an automobile itis to be understood that it may be used in connection with any internal combustion engine whether stationary or moving and it is particularly adapted for use with the engines of aeroplanes or other air craft.

Having thus described my invent ion. what 1 claim is 1. In a cooling system for internal con1 bustion engines the combination with :1 cylinder jacket having a vapor space. of a condenser in communicution with said vapor space, a make up reservoir for cooling liquid in communication with the condensers. a distributing box outside the cylinder jacket having an o iening therein leading to the cylinder jacket. a pipe leading from the make up reservoir to said d striluuiiubox. a pump in circuit with said pipe lead ng from the make up reservoir to said dish-lip uting box and a return pipe leading from said distributing ho): to the inlet side of the pump.

2. In a cooling system for internal coinbustion engines in combination with a c \linder jacket having a vapor space connected therewith, of a condenser in communication said vapor spaceja makeup reservoir for cooling liquld 1n communication wlththe condenser, a distributingboxfoutside the uting box opening: into said distributing box opposite to and-"in line with the opening ijt'rom' said distributing: box into the vapor space, a pump lncircult with saidpipe leading from the make upreservoir to said distributing box, and a return plpe leading 't'r'oinsaidf distributingboxback to the inlet side of the'pumpq 3. In a cooling system for. internal coinfbustion engines; in combination with a cylrlU.

linderjacket having avaporspace connected therewith, a condenser in communication with said vapor {spacefa make up reservoir for cooling liquid in communication with the jacket fro nthe condenser and the reserthe condenser, a distributing box outside the leadingto the cylinder jacket, a supplypipc leading from the make up reservoir to said distributing box, and openingiinto said distributing box opposite to and in line with the opening from said distributing box into the cylinder jacket, a pump in circuit with said supply pipe, and-a returnpipe leading back to the intake side of the pump from a point in said distributing boxabove the cylinder jacket having an opening therein level of the opening from the box into the jacket. I

4. In a cooling system forinternal combustion engines in combination with a cylinder jacket having a vapor space connected therewith, a condenser in communication with said vapor space, a make up reservoir for cooling liquid in communication with the condenser, a distributing box outside the cylinder jacket having an opening therein leading to the jacket, a pipe leading from the make up reservoir to said distributing box, a ump in circuit with said pipe leading from t e make up reservoir to saiddistributing'box, and a return pipe leading from said distributing box back to the inlet side of the pump, the opening from the distributing box to thereturn pipe'being of less area than the interior of the pipe.

,5. In avapor cooling system forinternal combustion engines a cylinder jacket pro-k vided with an upward extension to form a vapor space, a distributing box and means carried by said upward extension for supporting the distributing box.

6. In a vapor cooling system for internal combustion-engines, the" combination with a cylinder jacket having a steam space above the' same, of a condenser connected with said space for receiving steam therefrom, a reser- V voir holding an amount of liquid in excess of that furnished through the condenser, and meansconnecting the condenser and the reservoir to the jacket for supplying liquids thereto, said, reservoir being so associated cess of that furnished by 'the condenseniand means connecting the condenser and theres- I ervoir to'the jacket for supplyingliquids to voir, the latter and its 'connectionsto the jacket and the condenser being so located wvitli refere'nce'to the engine that the temperature of; the contents of the reservoir twill be effected only-bythe vcon'densatereceived from'the condenser.

- *8. In a vapor cooling system for. internal combustion engines, the combinationlwith a cylinder jacket having. a steam space above the same, of a condenser connected with said space for receiving steam therefrom, a reservoirholding an amount of liquids in excess of that furnishedby the condenser, and

connectionsfrom the reservoir tothe jacket and condenser, respectively whereby liquids from both the condenser and the reservoir may be supplied to the jacket, said connections being outside ofand spaced away from the engine. Y 7

9. In a cooling system for internalcombustion engines in combination with a cylinder jacket havinga Vapor space connected therewith, a condenser in communication with said vapor space, a make up reservoir for cooling liquid in communication with the condenser, a distributing box outside the cylinder jacket having an opening therein leading to the cylinder jacket, a check valve controlling said opening, a supply pipe leading from the make up reservoir to said distributing box, a pump in circuit'with said supply pipe, a return pipe leading from said distributing boxback to the intake side of the pump, and means in the box providing a restricted bypass connection between the openings in the box into the jacket and return pipe, respectively. i

10. In a vapor cooling system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a cylinder jacket having a steam space above the same, of a distributing box through which cooling liquids are suppliedto the jacket, said box having inlet, outlet and overflow openings, the outlet opening comopenings, and a condenser connected with.

the steam space of the jacket and with the circuit provided by the supply and return pipes respectively.

11. In a vapor cooling system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a cylinder jacket having a steam space above the same, of adistributing box through which cooling liquids are supplied to the jacket, said box having inlet, outlet and overflow openings, the outlet opening communicating the box with the jacket, supply and return pipes connected with the inlet and overflow openings respectively, with the inlet opening opposite and in line wit-h the outlet opening to provide an unrestricted passage between them, means in the box providing a lay-pass connection between the overflow and the other openings, and a condenser connected with the steam space of the jacket and with the circuit provided by the supply and return pipes, respectively.

12. In a vapor cooling system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a cylinder jacket having a steam space above the same, of a distributing box through which cooling liquids are supplied to the jacket, said box having inlet, outlet and overflow openings, the outlet opening C0111- municating the box with the jacket, supply and return pipes connected with the inlet and overflow openings respectively, with the inlet opening opposite and in line with the outlet opening to provide an unrestricted passage between them, means in the box providing a normally restricted bypass opening from said passage to the overflow opening, yielding means permitting the by-pass opening to be enlarged by the increase of cooling liquids in said passage, and a condenser connected with the steam spaec of the jacket and with the circuit provided by the supply and return pipes, respectively.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto allix my signature.

LESTER P. BARLOVV. 

